Clutch dust filter apparatus, and method of using same

ABSTRACT

A clutch dust filtration apparatus, for filtering solid particles out of a mixture of air and suspended solids, includes a conduit member, a collection vessel, and a filter member. The conduit member includes a hollow transfer tube and a transverse collar extending outwardly from the transfer tube. The collection vessel has an open end and a closed end, and is indirectly connected to the conduit member. The outlet of the conduit member is spaced away from the closed end of the collection vessel. The filter member is attached to the collection vessel. Incoming air from the conduit member is required to make a sharp turn, in order to exit the apparatus via the filter member. This sharp turn causes solid material to drop out of the mixture and to be collected in the collection vessel.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention

[0002] The present invention relates to dust traps and filters. Moreparticularly, the present invention relates to a filter apparatus foruse in trapping and filtering particles of discarded friction material,out of a mixture of suspended solids and air.

[0003] 2. Description of the Background Art

[0004] High-performance clutches are commonly used in racing cars, suchas drag racers. Unfortunately, these clutches wear down very quicklyduring a race, and in the process, used friction material from theclutch disc is thrown freely from the vehicle, primarily in the form ofclutch dust.

[0005] Clutch dust is composed of fine metallic and non-metallicparticles, which are generated as clutch friction material rapidly wearsaway from the clutch during a race. These particles are normally ejectedfrom the clutch housing into the air, and many of the particleseventually settle onto the track surface. The air around a race trackand the track surface are both undesirable places to deposit thismaterial.

[0006] Such discarded friction material may present a hazard to raceparticipants, if it accumulates on a racing track surface. For example,in braking areas, loose accumulated friction material may create aslipping hazard to race vehicles traveling at high speed.

[0007] A need therefore exists for a means for reducing or minimizingthe uncontrolled release of clutch dust from race cars.

[0008] Many different types of air filters are known and arecommercially available. It is standard procedure for all internalcombustion engines to include an air filter at the intake thereof, toremove dust and other impurities from combustion air entering thereinto.

[0009] A specialized vacuuming apparatus, for collecting dust fromclutches and brakes during repair and servicing operations, is describedin U.S. Pat. No. 4,928,348 to Clayton.

[0010] It has also been known to provide adjustment means in clutchassemblies, to provide for axial adjustment of a pressure plate as theclutch disc wears during use.

[0011] Examples of such axially adjustable clutch assemblies may befound in U.S. Pat. No. 6,062,365 to Gochenour, and in U.S. Pat. No.6,098,773 to Blessinger et al. The Blessinger '773 patent discloses aclutch pressure plate having an annular shield, for protecting an axialadjustment mechanism from debris radiating outward from a central areaof the clutch.

[0012] Although the known devices have some utility for their intendedpurposes, a need still exists in the art for a dust-trapping filterapparatus for installation on a vehicle to trap and collect spentfriction material as it is expelled from a vehicle clutch. Inparticular, there is a need for such a dust-trapping filter apparatuswhich includes a filter screen.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0013] The present invention provides a dust-trapping filter apparatus,for installation on a vehicle to collect clutch dust as it is expelledfrom a vehicle clutch.

[0014] A clutch dust filter apparatus, in accordance with the presentinvention, generally includes a conduit member, a filter memberoperatively attached to the conduit member, and a collection vessel. Thecollection vessel is operatively connected to the filter member andcovers an outlet end of the conduit member. Optionally, the filtermember may include both an inner filter element and an outer screen.

[0015] Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to providea method and apparatus for catching and collecting spent clutch filtermaterial, as it is released and expelled from a clutch assembly overtime.

[0016] It is another object of the present invention to provide a clutchdust filter apparatus which may be periodically cleaned and re-used.

[0017] It is still another object of the present invention to provide anapparatus for separating suspended solids from a mixture of air andsolids.

[0018] Other objects, features, and advantages of the present inventionwill become apparent from a careful review of the followingspecification.

[0019] For a more complete understanding of the present invention, thereader is referred to the following detailed description section, whichshould be read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Throughoutthe following detailed description and in the drawings, like numbersrefer to like parts.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0020]FIG. 1 is a partial perspective view of a back end of a racingcar, showing a clutch dust filter apparatus in accordance with thepresent invention installed thereon;

[0021]FIG. 2 is a side plan view, partially cut away and incross-section, of a clutch dust filter apparatus in accordance with afirst embodiment of the present invention; and

[0022]FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of the clutch dust filterapparatus of FIG. 2, showing the component parts thereof.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

[0023] Referring now to the drawings, a back end of a race car is shownat 100 in FIG. 1. The race car 100 is equipped with a clutch dusttransfer hose 8, which is connected at its front end to a vehicle clutch(not shown). The vehicle's bell housing (not shown) is adapted to catchand direct spent friction material into the transfer hose, as it isexpelled from the clutch.

[0024] A clutch dust filter apparatus 10, according to the presentinvention, is attached to the back end of the clutch dust transfer hose8. In the installation shown in FIG. 1, both the clutch dust transferhose 8 and the clutch dust filter apparatus 10 are attached to a framemember 9 of the vehicle 100.

[0025] As seen best in FIG. 2, the clutch dust filter 10 includes aconduit member 12, a filter member 14 operatively attached to theconduit member, and a collection vessel 20. Each of these componentswill be described in further detail herein.

The Conduit Member

[0026] The conduit member 12 (FIG. 3) is formed from a strong, solidmaterial such as metal or a strong, heat-resistant plastic. The conduitmember 12 has an inlet end 23, which is attachable to the dust transferhose 8 (FIG. 1). The conduit member 12 also has an outlet end 25, whichempties into the collection vessel 20.

[0027] As shown best in FIG. 3, in the depicted embodiment, the conduitmember 12 includes a hollow, cylindrical feed tube 11 which defines ahollow inlet passage 22 therethrough. The conduit member 12 alsoincludes a transverse collar 13, which is integrally affixed to the feedtube 11, proximate the inlet end 23 thereof. Optionally, the transversecollar 13 may include an integrally formed annular outer flange 27extending around the outer periphery thereof.

The Collection Vessel

[0028] The collection vessel 20 is a hollow container, defining astorage chamber 29 therein for receiving particles of spent clutchmaterial. The collection vessel 20 is operatively, indirectly attachedto the conduit member 12 by the filter member 14, in a manner to bedescribed hereinafter. The outlet end 25 of the conduit member 12empties out into the storage chamber 29 in the hollow interior of thecollection vessel 20.

[0029] The collection vessel 20 is substantially bottle-shaped, with awide end 26 where the bottom of a bottle would normally be, and a narrowend 28 opposite the wide end 26. The wide end 26 of the collectionvessel 20 has a large opening 21 (FIG. 2) formed therein, which receivesa reinforcing ring 17 at the end of the filter member 14 therein.

[0030] During use, the narrow end 28 of the collection vessel 20 isclosed off. The narrow end 28 may be made permanently closed.Alternatively, the narrow end 28 of the collection vessel 20 has malethreads formed thereon, as shown in FIG. 3, and an internally threadedend cap 30 may be removably provided for temporarily closing the narrowend during normal use. The base of the neck portion at the narrow end 28of the collection vessel 20, just inside the threaded portion, ispreferably made to have a square or hexagonal shape, with a plurality offlattened surfaces therearound, so as to be graspable by a wrench orsimilar tool when tightening or loosening the end cap 30.

[0031] When a user wishes to empty accumulated dust out of thecollection vessel, the cap 30 may be removed, using appropriate tools,and the vessel may then be emptied out. Alternatively, where the cap 30is omitted, and the collection vessel 20 is threadably attached to thefilter member 14, the collection vessel may be unscrewed from the filtermember and dumped out.

The Filter Member

[0032] The filter member 14 includes a foraminous outer screen 18, whichfits flush against, and which is glued, welded or otherwise attached tothe transverse collar 13 of the conduit member 12. In the depictedembodiment of the apparatus 10, the outer screen 18 fits nestingly andcoaxially inside the annular outer flange 27 of the collar 13.

[0033] Optionally, the filter member 14 may also include an inner filterelement 16 which fits concentrically inside the outer screen 18, andwhere used, the inner filter element 16 is also glued or appropriatelyattached to the transverse collar 13. The inner filter element 16 mayinclude a wire mesh screen which is finer than the outer screen 18,and/or may include a porous and pervious filter material, such aspleated filter paper.

[0034] Preferably, the filter member 14 also includes a solidreinforcing ring 17 which fits on, and which is attached to an endportion of the outer screen 18, opposite the transverse collar 13. Thereinforcing ring is formed from a sturdy material such as a metal or astrong, heat-resistant plastic. Where the inner element 16 is used aspart of the filter member 14, the reinforcing ring 17 may also be gluedor otherwise attached to the end thereof, as shown.

[0035] As best seen in FIG. 2, the reinforcing ring 17 fits inside, andis connected to the wide end of the collection vessel 20, and thisconnection may be by welding, gluing, interlocking threads, or by otherattachment means. Optionally, the outer edge of the reinforcing ring 17may include a widened portion similar to the outer flange 27 (FIG. 3) ofthe collar 13.

[0036] Another optional feature of the filter member 14 is that theouter edge of the reinforcing ring 17 may have male threads formedtherearound, and the opening 21 at the wide end of the collection vessel20 may be correspondingly internally threaded to receive the reinforcingring therein.

Function of the Filter Apparatus

[0037] It will be noted that, as shown in FIG. 2, the outlet end 25 ofthe conduit member 12 extends beyond the filter member 14, into thestorage chamber 29 of the collection vessel 20. However, the outlet end25 of the conduit member does not touch the wall at the narrow end ofthe collection vessel 20, but is spaced away therefrom.

[0038] Moreover, as shown in FIG. 2, the radially innermost surface ofthe inner filter element 16 does not come into contact with the feedtube 11 of the conduit member 12, but is spaced outwardly therefrom, sothat a hollow cylindrical opening 24 is formed between the feed tube 11and the inner surface of the filter element 16. This opening 24 providesa flow passage for air from the collection vessel to travel into,between the feed tube and the inner filter element 16.

[0039] A flow path through the filter 10 is generally indicated by thearrows in FIG. 2. Incoming air and clutch dust from the dust transferhose 8 (FIG. 1) enters the inlet end 23 of the conduit member 12,travels through the conduit member, and then exits from the outlet end25 and goes into the collection vessel 20. Force exerted by rapidacceleration of the vehicle 100 (FIG. 1) also tends to push the dustcomponent rearwardly in the collection vessel 20.

[0040] After the air/solids mixture enters the collection vessel, theair component of the mixture is able to make a sharp turn, roughly 180degrees, around the end of the feed tube 11, as shown by the arrow inFIG. 2. The air is then able to enter the hollow annular space 24between the feed tube and the filter element 16. Then, the air passesradially outwardly through the filter element 16, and the outer screen18, to the surroundings.

[0041] However, when the air stream reverses direction at the inner endof the conduit member 12, most of the clutch dust (not shown) is notable to reverse direction, but instead, the dust drops out of the airstream, and is deposited at the narrow end 28 of the collection vessel20. Further, any fine dust particles that do make it into the space 24are then filtered out by the inner filter element 16 and/or the outerscreen 18.

[0042] Although the present invention has been described herein withrespect to a preferred embodiment thereof, the foregoing description isintended to be illustrative, and not restrictive. Those skilled in theart will realize that many modifications of the preferred embodimentcould be made which would be operable. All such modifications which arewithin the scope of the claims are intended to be within the scope andspirit of the present invention.

Having, thus, described the invention, what is claimed is:
 1. Anapparatus for filtering particulate solids out of a mixture of air andsolids, said apparatus comprising: a conduit member having an inlet endand an outlet end; a porous filter member operatively attached to theconduit member; and a hollow collection vessel operatively connected tothe filter member, said collection vessel having an open end whichreceives the conduit member and a closed end covering the outlet end ofthe conduit member, wherein the outlet end of the conduit member isspaced away from the closed end of said collection vessel; whereby airfrom the conduit member is required to make a sharp turn in order toexit the apparatus via the filter member.
 2. The apparatus of claim 1,wherein the filter member is substantially cylindrical, and is radiallyspaced away from the conduit member to allow air to pass therebetween.3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the filter member comprises aninner filter member and an outer screen which substantially surroundsthe inner screen.
 4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the collectionvessel has a removable end cap on the closed end thereof to allow thecontents to be emptied.
 5. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprisinga reinforcing ring which interconnects the collection vessel and thefilter member.
 6. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein a portion of theclosed end of the collection vessel, has a square or hexagonal shapewith a plurality of flattened surfaces therearound.
 7. A clutch dustfiltration apparatus for filtering solid particles out of a mixture ofair and solids, said apparatus comprising: a conduit member having aninlet end and an outlet end and comprising a hollow transfer tubedefining a passage therethrough, and a transverse collar attached tosaid transfer tube; a perforated filter member operatively attached tothe transverse collar of said conduit member and spaced away from thetransfer tube, the filter member comprising a substantially cylindricalfilter element; and a collection vessel operatively connected to thefilter member, said collection vessel having an open end which receivesthe conduit member therein and a closed end covering the conduit member,such that the outlet end of the conduit member is spaced away from saidcollection vessel; whereby air from the conduit member is required tomake a sharp turn in order to exit the apparatus via the filter member.8. The apparatus of claim 7, further comprising a reinforcing ring whichinterconnects the collection vessel and the filter member, saidreinforcing ring being situated at an end of the filter member oppositethe transverse collar of the conduit member.
 9. The apparatus of claim7, wherein the collection vessel has a removable end cap on the closedend thereof to allow the contents to be emptied.
 10. The apparatus ofclaim 7, wherein the filter member comprises a foraminous outer screensurrounding the filter element.
 11. A method of filtering a mixture ofair and suspended solids to separate the solids therefrom, comprisingthe steps of: a) transferring said mixture through a conduit to aconduit member of a filter assembly; b) passing said mixture out of saidconduit member into a collection vessel; and c) forcing the aircomponent to turn sharply in order to exit from said filter assembly;whereby a significant portion of said suspended solids are deposited insaid collection vessel.
 12. The method of claim 11, further comprising astep of passing said air through a porous filter member after said turnforcing step.